20 Inspired Business-Card Designs to Better Market Your Startup

They may seem like relics or leftovers from past generations that didn't give two figs about the environment or modern business practices. But business cards are not only still used, they're also useful.

They can serve as a new contact or client's first look at your company, as well as a reminder that stays with them long after you’ve left the building. Yet amid the rush to brand a business in more sophisticated ways, entrepreneurs often neglect this elemental tool.

If you're nervous about harming the environment, you can use recycled paper. Or, you can be like Scott Hamlin, the founder of the innovative Portland, Ore., upcycling company Looptworks, who reuses old cards by stamping his company's logo and contact information on the back.

Either way, don't forego this inexpensive opportunity to brand both your business and yourself. For business-card design ideas, we pulled together 20 cards that stood out among the fray, along with reasons why they work or not.

What have you done to jazz up your business cards? Let us know in the comments section below.